Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

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It looked boring. And old

Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2018

We almost didn’t read this book. It looked boring. And old. And maybe I’m racist and sexist (I’m totally not). After reading hundreds of books together as a family with 3 little boys I literally judged this book by it’s cover and found it lacking a boy with a wand. But it was our last book for book club so we decided to just get through it and make the best of however it shook out. There is learning value in every experience, right?

It is one of our favorite books of all time. The way the author weaves stories together through time and characters is masterful. The theme of choosing happiness through gratitude is one that resonated with all of us so deeply. This book really affected our core while always feeling natural and self discovered.

The discussion questions at the end were perfect and we especially enjoyed the personal section where the author described her process for evolving this story from traditional Chinese stories to her first hand experience traveling to China to her own cultural identity to what it became: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon – we were fascinated by every word.

Add this to your family reading list.

168 people found this helpful

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Where the Mountain Meets the Moon - Review by Kevin

Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2018

My claim is where the Mountain Meet the Moon’s theme is Meeting your needs.The reason I think this is because Minli was the only one in her village that tried to find the man of the moon. For example, in the book she runs off t o make her fortune come true, but along the way things happen like she finds friend along the way and she meets a dragon, the Buffalo Boy, a talking fish and that’s not all. Also, some people may think that the theme is yin and yang. However, I think my theme is better because in most events Minli passes through hardships and sometimes through easy things, but she always succeeds. The novel did give me a good idea of what other lifes are like. The folk tales are different than real life because Chinese folk tales are more exciting than other stories .

3 people found this helpful

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From the United States

Rachel Rainbolt

It looked boring. And old

Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2018

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168 people found this helpful

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Kate Calina

Timeless Wisdom

Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2017

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Young Minli was gifted with a lively spirit that flashed brightly in her drab little village. In planting season she rose before dawn, working beside her parents to place each seedling carefully in the mud. No matter how hard the three worked, they only just managed to get by, living on rice and hoping for better days. Year in and year out, Ma’s unhappy sighs clouded the air. Her daughter resolved to seek better fortune by finding the one soul known for his ability to answer any question: the Old Man of the Moon.

Near a river of salty water, greedy monkeys defended a peach orchard they had just discovered. As Minli approached the rolling stream, a muffled voice broke through the warm clear water. To her astonishment, a brilliant red dragon called out for aid, bound tightly in twine. He had been attacked by the monkeys, who feared his inroads into their orchard. Freed from his bonds, the wingless dragon invited her to climb on his back. He would help her find the Never-Ending Mountain.

Their journey to the Mountain and the Old Man of the Moon brought them to the City of Bright Moonlight, with its clever King and faithful Guardians. In the Inner City, the leaves of the plum trees shone like emeralds. Bamboo and pine trees sparkled like jewels in the sun. Minli and her dragon received two treasures of infinite worth. Joyfully they headed out from the blessed city, clambering over steep and rocky ground. In the wilderness the two heroes were attacked by the brutal Green Tiger, whose poisonous claws brought death to his victims.

Minli’s quick wits had seen her through many perilous adventures. Alone in the wasteland, these gifts alone could not save them. The story that follows is a wonderful tapestry of friendship, generosity and deep courage. Beautifully written, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a graceful and powerful tale.

Grace Lin is a Newberry Honor Winner, National Book Award Finalist, and New York Times bestselling author..

--Kate Calina

30 people found this helpful

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Digital Rights

One Book One School - great choice!

Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2019

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We recently had this book for our K-8 school One Book One School. It could not have been a better choice. It's a wonderful story that weaves in lessons of courage, kindness and love. It has characters that are interestingly rebellious and a bit of magic and mystery.

Grace Lin's story has both an large ark and then small somewhat updated adaptations of Chinese fairy tales. It's a wondrous mix.

Minli is a heroic and sweet young girl who wants to change the fortune for her parents. She goes on an amazing journey through kingdoms and forests meeting all the types of people and animals and adventures that I personally would love to join.

The ending is beautifully done. The story seems to accelerate to the last page. My children from ages 6 to 11 loved it. We will read her other stories. Well recommended for families that enjoy reading together.

17 people found this helpful

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S. C. Reh

It doesn't get much better than this

Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2018

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I just read this book again yesterday, because my daughter borrowed When the Sea Turned to Silver from the library, and I figured out pretty quickly that it would be better if I refreshed my memory on Where the Mountain Meets the Moon first. Both books are great, of course. This first novel was particularly enjoyable. It is so well-written; even the sentences that don't appear to be critical to the story are carefully crafted. The characters, whether human or not, come alive in the story and in the stories within the story. I love how all 3 books (including Starry River of the Sky) are woven together. There are many positive life lessons throughout. Definitely one of my very favorite children's books, and even among my very favorite fiction books.

20 people found this helpful

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Melinda Russell

This is a great book to read!

Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2018

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I live in China. I tutor two 5th grade boys in English. I use an online program for reading books but wanted to find a good book for us to read that was in paper form. When I saw this book here on Amazon and read about it I thought this would be great for us to read. So I ordered two copies and brought back with me in August. We have not been disappointed. We are about 1/3 of the way through. Grace Lin does a great job in writing to capture our attention. Reading about Minli's adventure, the people she meets along the way and getting a better glimpse of the Chinese culture and history keeps us interested and eager to see what is going to happen in the next chapter.
Also her illustrations are beautiful!

9 people found this helpful

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turkeynox

Kept my son's attention as his first chapter book!

Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2014

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My son was 7 when this book arrived, so I read a few chapters per night to him. It astonished me that he stayed still and payed attention to this night after night (I thought he'd have withdrawal symptoms from the mostly-picture books he was used to...) even though it was his first chapter-style book. Grace Lin is SO good at teasing our curiosity and keeping us on the edge of our seats. My son loved to study the little drawings at the head of each chapter and really basked in the full-page/full-color drawings that pepper this work, so even though this isn't a "picture book" per se there's just enough in the way of pictures to satisfy his need for pictures, and after the story was over he really liked the About the Story part in the back, where he got to see the origins of some of the pictures (then he needed to flip back to the finished drawings in the book and compare!). Then he wanted me to read it again. And again. After a few readings, he decided to read it to me. :-) And then after he turned 8, we got the companion book, "Starry River of the Sky" (which is a little slower-paced and more somber than WTMMTM, but still entertaining nonetheless). In both books, the author "pauses" the main story to tell mini-stories, and my son loved asking for those mini-stories by name after we were doing re-re-re-reading these. "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" is captivating whether you are a kid or an adult, and it's very worthwhile if you want a book that will be loved over and over again.

19 people found this helpful

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Beautiful

Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2020

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I read this book aloud to my 7 and 9 year old. It is beautiful. My nine year old said it was the "best written book we have ever read". The illustrations are beautiful and the message is endearing. This book is truly a work of art and we were all touched.

3 people found this helpful

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Jennifer Erin Hughes

Magical Story

Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2017

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My 9yo son and I are reading this together each night at bedtime. It's an excellent story, full of adventures and subtle lessons for life. The stories within the story are magical. I especially love that the main character is a girl who is probably around the same age as my son. And as the mom of a biracial Asian child, I appreciate that the characters are Chinese; we've been looking for more diverse stories to read and this one has been perfect.

9 people found this helpful

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KWong

Delightful and imaginative story the whole family can enjoy

Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2019

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This really is a book for all ages. Everyone from our two-year-old to her grandparents found it engaging and enjoyable. It's exciting and fun, but not too dark or scary, has charming characters and creative story, and is beautifully written.

2 people found this helpful

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mom300

My daughter loved the book

Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2016

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My daughter loved the book, so I am glad that I bought the hard cover version. If it were paperback, the spine would have been damaged by now. The story just drew her in. She really liked the Chinese folktales that were woven throughout the book. Loved Grace Lin's illustrations too. Perfect for 2nd grade+ girls depending on their reading level. According to the AR Bookfinder, this book's level is 5.8, which means the 8the month of 5th grade. These days, many children are reading above their reading level. It can be really challenging to find books for them that are at their interest level.

3 people found this helpful

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